After three years and four months of idleness, procrastination, suppressed rage and hibernation, the Indian Cynic rises and steps into the tortuous quicksands of cyberspace.In the intervening period, I had the privilege of seeing a brand new social media phenomenon of Twitter, Whats App and countless others occupy the stage.
We have witnessed the meteoric rise of Arvind Kejriwal and his equally speedy downfall as Delhi CM; but most dramatically we saw the triumphant march of a resurgent BJP with Narendra Modi at the head. So many pillars of the Congress fell down at the wayside and the saffron wave rules our lives today.
Who had foreseen the whirlwind rise of ISIS and the Islamic State? Now, the world is nervously awaiting the next move of a multi-national army with medieval philosophy and enforcing it with America's most modern weapons. We see entire swathes of Muslim lands drown in the ketchup colour of blood and gore, spattered by headless bodies and heads held high by smiling children.
Achhe Din Aaye Hain? Hopefully, we look for the elusive tomatoes to return to our plates. Slowly and surely, the moribund wheels of our dead manufacturing sector, dry agricultural fields and sputtering economy and deadwood bureaucracy are turning forward, while a tiny bit of metal carries our aspirations ever so far towards the Red Planet of Mars.Our daily newspapers still display the fights and quarrels of politicians, the riots of religious fanatics and the ominous sounds of the shadowy enemies in and outside of our borders. The old jokers still peddle their tired tricks to thinning audiences while new ones straddle centre stage with their bloopers, sensational statements and animal antics.
Corruption is our lifeline, we cannot cut it, say Indians. Modi says, Make it in India, sell it to the world. How will the industrialists and corporations with the deep pockets come to an India where power is scarce, labour is militant, land is expensive and laws are retrospective? Yet we call them in hoping they will listen because India is the world's biggest new market, where 135 Mercedes Cars are sold by one dealer in a single day. People are no longer shy of displaying their wealth and contesting elections to become public representatives, there is more money to be made serving the people, tax free, than you can in industry or service sector!
So I am back and intend to write my feelings about corruption, about politics, economy, or anything that catches my fancy. Hopefully I have a new and bigger audience of fellow bloggers and followers even as I start following the stars of the Blogosphere.
We have witnessed the meteoric rise of Arvind Kejriwal and his equally speedy downfall as Delhi CM; but most dramatically we saw the triumphant march of a resurgent BJP with Narendra Modi at the head. So many pillars of the Congress fell down at the wayside and the saffron wave rules our lives today.
Who had foreseen the whirlwind rise of ISIS and the Islamic State? Now, the world is nervously awaiting the next move of a multi-national army with medieval philosophy and enforcing it with America's most modern weapons. We see entire swathes of Muslim lands drown in the ketchup colour of blood and gore, spattered by headless bodies and heads held high by smiling children.
Achhe Din Aaye Hain? Hopefully, we look for the elusive tomatoes to return to our plates. Slowly and surely, the moribund wheels of our dead manufacturing sector, dry agricultural fields and sputtering economy and deadwood bureaucracy are turning forward, while a tiny bit of metal carries our aspirations ever so far towards the Red Planet of Mars.Our daily newspapers still display the fights and quarrels of politicians, the riots of religious fanatics and the ominous sounds of the shadowy enemies in and outside of our borders. The old jokers still peddle their tired tricks to thinning audiences while new ones straddle centre stage with their bloopers, sensational statements and animal antics.
Corruption is our lifeline, we cannot cut it, say Indians. Modi says, Make it in India, sell it to the world. How will the industrialists and corporations with the deep pockets come to an India where power is scarce, labour is militant, land is expensive and laws are retrospective? Yet we call them in hoping they will listen because India is the world's biggest new market, where 135 Mercedes Cars are sold by one dealer in a single day. People are no longer shy of displaying their wealth and contesting elections to become public representatives, there is more money to be made serving the people, tax free, than you can in industry or service sector!
So I am back and intend to write my feelings about corruption, about politics, economy, or anything that catches my fancy. Hopefully I have a new and bigger audience of fellow bloggers and followers even as I start following the stars of the Blogosphere.
